Chapter 1:The Invitation

My story began on a sunny day in August, in the gardens of Hiryūō Manor. The ducks were gliding across the pond towards the bread that my brother fed them and the sun warmed the grass beneath my feet.

My two friends, Mai Nekura (daughter of Sochi Nekura, a high ranking Ministry Member) and Ty Lee Ukiuki (daughter of Kyokuba Ukiuki, the founder of the Wizarding Circus and creator of "Nerve Magic") were playing with me in the courtyard where high walls secluded us from the rest of the world. Ty Lee was showing off her acrobatic skills as usual when I spotted an owl flying towards my grandfather's study.

"Mai! Ty Lee! It's here! The owl from Hogwarts is here!" I told them running towards the manor with hopes to see the letter that would send me off to the only important School of Magic and Wizardry (I mean, of course there's also Beauxbatons Academy of Magic but no one of any import graduated from there). Now, you might be surprised to know that I would ever stoop to running in excitement, but at the time I was only ten years old and did not yet have the patience and manners that I do now. Thankfully, I had guile enough to make up for it.

"Azula, darling, don't just leave your friends alone in the garden," my mother scolded me, as she always does. At the time I thought my mother hated me. It was never true, of course, but my spoiled ten year old self turned what was concern for a mischievous (to say the least) child into hatred. This was not helped by the fact the my brother Zuko (hereafter to be known as Zuzu) was never scolded by her and my jealousy twisted things even further. But more on that later, all that mattered was that on that warm August day I did not get along with my mother very well and thus did not feel bad about manipulating her.

"I'm sorry Mother, it's just that I saw an owl heading towards Granddad's study and it looked like the owl from Hogwarts. Can't I please go upstairs and check? I promise to take Mai and Ty Lee with me as well," I made my eyes as wide as possible and smiled brightly.

"Oh very well," my mother smiled indulgently. "But be sure to knock first so you don't disturb your honorable grandfather"

"Yes, Mother," I smiled again at her. Once she turned her attention to Zuzu, I rolled my eyes at her and gestured for Mai and Ty Lee to follow me.

"I don't understand why she always calls that old coot my 'honorable grandfather,'" I muttered to the both of them as soon as they caught up. I was never impressed with my grandfather, this was probably because he was never impressed with me.

"Isn't your Grandfather a really powerful wizard?" Ty Lee asked. Out of the three of us, Ty Lee was always prone to asking questions.

"Azulon Hiryūō was one of the leading causes of the Ministry's victory over "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" as well as the arrests of many of his supporters," Mai intoned. Mai's eyes stared into the distance and her thin mouth naturally formed a frown. Despite her emotionless features, she was quite easy to read. It was especially easy to tell when she had a crush on someone - like my brother, for instance.

"It's been years since he's last picked up a wand and I'm not impressed with his ability to intimidate people easily defeated by newborns like Voldemort," I sneered at them.

"Azula!" Ty Lee gasped. At the time it was taboo to say Voldemort for fear that he might come back or for fear of looking as though you supported him or for fear of coming across as disrespectful.

"Hey, do you think that the Boy-Who-Lived is going to be in our year?" Ty Lee asked. As I said, Ty Lee enjoyed asking things. Unlike Mai, Ty Lee smiled and laughed. She reminded me of a puppy or a big, drooling dog: excitable and loyal, but not that bright. Naturally, I ignored her question as I focused on the contents of the letter.

I stepped inside and was greeted by a house-elf whose name I cannot recall. You have to understand that in my time house-elves did not have the rights or respect that they have now. Back then, it was considered vulgar to actually know a common house-elf's name.

Onwards I went, the sound of my footsteps echoing on the black marble floor of the mansion as I neared the stairs. Mai and Ty Lee followed me closely. Upon approaching the wide marble staircase I could make out my father's figure at the top. He held a letter in his hand. My heart beat faster in excitement, but since this was Father and not my mother I remained composed.

My father was Ozai Hiryūō, second son of Azulon. Unlike my grandfather and my uncle Iroh, Father did not partake in the war against Voldemort nor was he involved in the Death Eater hunt. He had a good position in the Ministry and I simply adored him at the time. In our family my mother mother tended to gravitate towards her son while Father treated me, his daughter, like a princess. We were both so alike, both gifted magically, both cunning, and both ambitious. He was my idol.

"Father," I called out with a bow in his direction once I reached the top of the stairs. Mai and Ty Lee stood at the foot of the staircase.

"Yes, Azula?" He asked of me, raising one elegant eyebrow. My father was a handsome man. His hair long, dark brown (almost black), and silky. Father's gaze was that of a predator's - golden and sharp.

"Was there a letter for me in grandfather's study?" I asked him directly. It was never in my nature to beat around the bush when I could get away with a direct blow to it.

"That's a matter for after dinner. Speaking of dinner, my old friend Lucius is stopping by today with his son. Be sure to look presentable. I already have one embarrassment for a child, I do not need another. Is that understood?"

"Yes Father," I answered as he approached me. At the time I felt happy that he so obviously despised my brother. As a child, I could never stand Zuzu. He was always the one who had Mother's attention and Uncle Iroh would always give him the best gifts. Only Father preferred me.

"Good, now run along. I have some business to attend to."

With that I made my exit, carefully going down the stairs and into the courtyard, vaguely aware of Mai and Ty Lee behind me.

"Wow Azula, your dad is intense!" Ty Lee exclaimed. A bit unnecessarily I might add.

"Good evening, Lucius and Narcissa. How wonderful it is to have you over for dinner. And would this be little Draco? Zuko! Azula! Lu Ten! Come say hello to our guests. Please, come in and make yourselves at home," I could hear my mother babbling to Father's guests. The Malfoy's (that was the name of the guests I had to greet) were close friends of my father's and a Pureblood family like ourselves. My father met Lucius Malfoy at Hogwarts Wizarding School where they were both assigned the same dormitory in Slytherin. Father and Lucius agreed on many things and they even looked like each other (although my father did not have platinum hair and grey eyes like Lucius did).

Lucius' son, Draco, was my age and my betrothed since I first started showing signs of possessing magic (which is to say, from birth). Not that I minded, to say the least. Not only was Draco part of the esteemed Black family, but he was also someone who shared my dislike of Zuzu.

Dinner was an uneventful affair that dragged on far longer than necessary. By the time the last plate was cleared from the table, I felt like kicking a house-elf (and would've if it hadn't been for my mother sitting next to me).

Finally, grandfather stood. He waited a moment before speaking, his eyes idly scanning the room. My grandfather, Azulon Hiryūō, was once the Minister of Magic before he retired - shortly after the Great Wizarding War. According to some he was the greatest wizard who has ever lived - Father even named me after him - but to me, grandfather was just an old man past his prime with a rigid insistence on pomp and ceremony. The only glory to him could only be found in the decorations and robes he surrounded himself in.

"If you would all join me in my receiving room, I have news," grandfather spoke at last, his voice rich in condescendence and superiority. "Mr. Malfoy, you and your family are welcome to join us." Grandfather turned away from the table towards the grand golden doors which led to his receiving room.

Before I continue, allow me to share with you the history of the Hiryūō receiving room. Our family was founded a long time ago in a country far away from our current residence in the United Kingdom. More specifically, the Hiryūō family can be traced back to the Jōmon period in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.

In those ancient times dragons roamed among the volcanoes that made up the islands, terrorizing the hunter-gatherers that lived there. The people were desperate and afraid. Then one day a man who claimed to be raised by dragons came to the aid of the people. His name was Ryūnosuke Hiryūō. Using his powerful fire magic, he drove the dragons back into their volcanoes and established a tribe of hunter-gatherers of his own. To those lucky enough to be in his tribe, he taught them his fire magic as well and soon they were the most powerful people in all of the Islands. Everywhere they went brought them a new victory: either against another tribe, a dragon, or nature itself.

Eventually, Ryūnosuke grew tired of constant travel and decided to settle down. He carved himself a room into a large mountain and there was where he stored all the wealth and trophies collected in his life - the first receiving room. Every day Ryūnosuke would retire to his receiving room and greet the people who came to see his wealth and glory, and, on days where he felt like battling again, take requests from those who were less powerful than he married and had children, he passed on the receiving room and the Hiryūō name onto his oldest child, who continued bringing glory to his-or-her father (all that is known about Ryūnosuke's oldest child is that its name was Yūki) and adding trophies to the receiving room.

This trend was copied by other tribes so that by the time civilizations reached the Ryukyu Islands, it was well established that a family's glory could be seen by the splendor of their receiving room. Many of the family's had simply wondrous receiving rooms filled with silks, jewels, statues , and art, but none could compare to the magnificence of that of my own Family's.

This tradition of having a grand receiving room was kept even after the Family moved to Beaconsfield. Grandfather, being the traditionalist that he is, took great pride in his receiving room and made a tradition out of forcing family (and guests) to witness its glory every day after dinner.

I do have to admit, however, that our Receiving Room was awe-inspiring. The grand golden doors swung open slowly, heavy with the weight of pure gold and precious stones. The hallway leading into the room was actually an artificial stream with a thin walkway of authentic volcanic rock from the Ryukyu Islands in the middle. The gleaming copper at the bottom of the stream colored the water red. The walls of the hallway (as well as the room itself) were covered with magical tapestry chronicling the exploits of our family's founder, Ryūnosuke Hiryūō. Fireballs floated high above the stream to provide the proper light to view the Receiving Room.

As for the Room itself, it was even grander than the hallway and the doors. There, all around us, was the entire wealth of my family (not really, as the majority was in safe in storage at Gringotts, but quite enough to fill an entire room). In the back of the Receiving Room was a raised platform of black marble upon which was situated a golden throne.

Normally, when it was just the Family in the Receiving Room, grandfather would sit upon his golden throne while the rest of us knelt Japanese style before the platform. However, as we had more anglicized guests there was a simple coffee table of decorated cherry wood with comfortable, cushioned armchairs. My grandfather once again sat at the head of the table. On his right was my Uncle Iroh, and his son Lu Ten. On grandfather's left was Father, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, and mother. Draco sat across from his mother, right next to Lu Ten, and I sat next to Draco. My brother Zuzu sat at the foot of the table, a fitting position for him at the time.

"Now, Lucius, I heard that you recently gained an accolade from the Ministry for your work. I congratulate you on your diligence," grandfather rumbled.

"Thank you, Minister. You are very kind," Lucius Malfoy replied, and on it went until my Father decided to speak up.

"Speaking of proud moments, you all know my daughter Azula," Father paused and nodded in my direction. I raised my chin at him, proud and basking in the glow of admiration. "Today, Azula received a letter from both Hogwarts and Beauxbatons. Both are very interested in her attending."

"My, that's wonderful. Do you know which school she will attend?" Narcissa Malfoy spoke up. "Our very own Draco is going to Hogwarts, even though he was accepted to Durmstrang, and it would be such a delight for him to have his betrothed attending the same school." Narcissa Malfoy had a great love for her only son, it was her one outstanding trait.

"Yes, that would be a wonderful idea," mother asserted. "Don't you think husband?" In my youth it was very uncommon for me to hear my mother and Father address each other by their names. Theirs was an arranged marriage per custom, but it never really felt like a happily arranged marriage.

"Of course, my lovely wife. While manners and etiquette are very important, so is the ability to be more than just a pretty vase decorating the fireplace," Father smiled at mother in a way that could be perceived as lovingly, but held a barely-hidden tension. I noticed Iroh and Narcissa tense slightly along with mother, while grandfather frowned slightly and Lucius Malfoy hid a slight smirk.

My mother smiled back, her lips tight and her eyes cold. "How absolutely right you are, husband." With that being said, the rest of the night went smoothly.

Author's Notes

Note: This is a sequel to the "Prologue", and the context of this story is that Azula is telling this to her grandchildren, many years after the events had taken place. However, I still wanted to show her getting into her past mindset, which is why words like "Father" are capitalized, while "mother" and "grandfather" are not.

Note: I'm making all Fire Nation characters of Japanese descent in this story, so their last names will, of course, be in Japanese

Hiryūō - The "hiryū" portion means fire dragon, while the "ō " part translates to king, making Azula's last name roughly translate to "Fire Dragon King" in Japanese.

Nekura - Means moody, but can also mean dour and glum in Japanese.

Sochi - Means "measure or step" in Japanese.

Kyokuba - In Japanese, "Kyokuba" means either "equestrian feats" or "circus".

Ukiuki - Means "excited" in Japanese.

The Ryukyu Islands are near Okinawa, noted for there volcanic activity, while the Jōmon period takes place in Japan from 14,500/12,00 B.C. to 300 B.C.